The invention relates to alarm systems and components thereof and more particularly relates to a remote alarm module for use with a vehicular type alarm system and to an improved alarm system including one or more such remote alarm modules.
Vehicle type alarm systems are alarm systems that, at least in part, detect electric transients, in a monitored electrical system, generated by, for example, such activities as starting the engine or opening a door which activates a courtesy light. The electrical system may be that of a vehicle or boat or other utilizer of an independent direct current electrical system. The alarm system may protect against intrusion or theft or may monitor other conditions.
In addition to a transient detector, the alarm unit of a vehicle type alarm system may also include a motion sensor for detecting abrupt motion, such as attempts to pry into the vehicle. Alternative alarm systems having separate sensor-switches for each door or other site, wired on a dedicated circuit to a control unit, are not preferred for vehicular use. Such separately wired systems are commonly used for buildings, however, such systems present enormous problems of cost, installation difficulty, power usage, and high failure rate, if used in vehicles.
Vehicle type alarm systems, have proven very successful in preventing both vehicle theft and theft of most vehicle components. A problem exists, however, as to small components on the vehicle exterior, which can be removed without causing enough motion of the vehicle to trigger the alarm system. Such components, for example, are the hood ornaments, currently popular on luxury automobiles. Because of safety requirements, hood ornaments are connected to vehicles by cable and spring arrangements. A hood ornament can be lifted carefully and cut from a vehicle without activating the motion detector of an alarm system. Increasing the sensitivity of the motion detector unacceptably increases the rate of false alarms.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide an improved remote alarm module and an improved alarm system.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved remote alarm module and an improved alarm system in which the remote alarm module need not be directly connected to the rest of the alarm system but only to the electrical system monitored by the alarm system.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved remote alarm module and an improved alarm system in which the remote alarm module can detect movement of a hood ornament.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved remote alarm module and an improved alarm system in which the remote module is connected to a removable item by a line.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved remote alarm module and an improved alarm system in which a plurality of the remote alarm modules may be used in conjunction with a transient monitoring alarm unit without modification of the transient monitoring alarm unit.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved remote alarm module and an improved alarm system combining all the above desired features.